6.12.2011

Last Wednesday night I started a new class in enameling at Danaca Design with the talented Aran Galligan. I'm really excited as I have not done any enameling on metal in at least 5 years! I went searching for my old enameling technique samples and was quite surprised to see my color choices. They are very similar to the colors I'm using in the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along blocks. Interesting that we are often drawn to the same things over and over.

6.10.2011

I'm thrilled that I am caught up with the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along. I have my 4 blocks done ( we are doing 2 per week) and I only have 107 to go!! This is so much fun. Picking fabrics for each block is a treat!

So in signing up for this quilt along, I have been reminded of some farm related happenings in our past. Yes.... we almost had a farm. About two years ago, my husband Jay and I were looking for a vacation property on Vashon Island. We love the island because it is so close to Seattle (a 30 min ferry ride ) and is incredibly rural. Well we found this lovely house.

It is the McNair house and was built in 1884.This is the historical info from History.org:

"In 1884, Thomas and Etta McNair began living on and improving their land claim near Burton on Vashon Island. Every Monday, Thomas McNair commuted to Tacoma by rowboat. He would spend the week in the city while Etta worked on their farm. Like many other early settlers, the McNairs lived in a log house while starting out. In about 1890, Thomas built a substantial two-story wood-frame house that reflects the influence of the Queen Anne style in its asymmetrical elevations, ornate gable-end ornamentation and elegant porch. Thomas McNair also constructed a number of other Burton structures, including the Quartermaster SchoolThe house needed alot of work and we were in the midst of finishing our 1908 house in Madrona. You can read about it here.We thought long and hard but knew it would be an amazing house and sanctuary from the city. I had so many wonderful dreams of the boys spending summers in the beautiful grounds, climbing trees, building forts and doing what boys do.

So......we made an offer on the house and then......Jay lost his job.

We obviously didn't buy the house.

While writing this blog post I have a pit in my stomach. I really loved this house and more than that the possibilities. I knew we could bring it back to its original glory and create many more happy memories there.

This is original wallpaper in the linen closet.

All the windows have the original Victorian style moulding.

This is the view of Quartermaster Harbour.

The upstairs bedroom has a view of the harbour.

I know that home is where the heart is but I'm still heartbroken that this one got away.

6.07.2011

So I have decided to add another project to my long list (check out the right side of my blog : )

But I'm so glad I did. It is the Farmer's Wife quilt along. Angela over here started it based on the book "The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt" by Laurie Aaron Hird. The book includes 111 quilt blocks inspired by letters written to The Farmer's Wife magazine which was a popular magazine in the 1920's. The magazine asked their readers the following question: "If you had a daughter of marriageable age, would you, in the light of your own experience, want her to marry a farmer?"

Ninety four percent of the farm wives said they would want their daughter to marry a farmer!!

Here is an excerpt from one of my favorite letters:

....How beautiful our home was! It was only of logs, covered in summer with a wild clematis vine. I told our doctor that after five o'clock on winter nights we became New York milllionaires for we had our easy chairs, a big fireplace and good books. We could not have had more in a mansion.

Mrs. J.E.F.

Valley County, Mont.

I am not a farmer's wife - far from it, but I love the letters in this book because they emphasize how simplifying ones life makes for a rich life. I'd like to think I've tried to do the same. I don't have chickens or cows and my vegetable garden consists of two tomato plants, but my husband and I have tried to simplify the best we can. We live in a very small house, we don't have fancy cars or take elaborate vacations. We Do spend time with our kids every day and I try to cook a "real" meal a few times per week. I wouldn't trade it for anything!

This is my first block, attic windows. I'm going to incorporate as many farm themed fabrics as possible. This has been so much fun to do. I love the process of picking out the fabrics for each block and incorporating the title of the block into each design.

My color inspiration is aqua and red with grey, red and pink accents.Inspired by a few bee blocks I have recently made.You can find the Book here , the author Laurie Aaaron Hird's website here, and the Flickr group here.

I had to throw in a few photos of my garden : ) My roses just started blooming!I really am a farm girl at heart....................